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Global Issues Initiative

The Global Issues Initiative (GII) centered in the National Capital Region is one component of the Institute for Society, Culture and Environment (ISCE). The Institute is tasked with strengthening the university’s competitive position in the social sciences, arts, and humanities. ISCE provides organizational and financial support for targeted creative, interactive, multi-and interdisciplinary research endeavors.

The programmatic focus for ISCE is the area of Social and Individual Transformation, one of Virginia Tech’s four discovery scholarship domains. For more information about Virginia Tech’s focus on social and individual transformation, please refer to the Discovery Scholarship Section of the University’s strategic plan.

Broadly, GII addresses international policy questions facing United States at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels in such areas as trade and economic integration, global security, counter-terrorism, and public health and science. An initial research and public information focal area is the international trade regime including multilateral trade negotiations and the impact of these negotiations on economic prosperity, trade in goods and services, economic development, and the integration of developing countries into the global economy.

The Global Issues Initiative co-hosts an occasional lecture series with the Government and International Affairs (GIA) program of the School of Public and International Affairs and other public events.